"women whose voices were extinguished by men, patriarchy and barriers of race, class and the domination of literature by the western canon." this was such a passionate and powerful piece and i'm excited to see what this next decade brings into your life 🫶🏽
"Plath taught me a lot: the value of work, to be always aware of the smog of hell of domesticity, and the capacity of heterosexual relationships to ruin women." Many girls and women have fallen in love with her words, her iconography and heeded her warnings. A pity it was too late for her. You and your peers have kept her passion and talents burning through the decades since her death. I felt so much pride reading this, I know how much work and sleepless nights went into this thesis, how much it gave back to you but also what it took from you. An achievement to be proud of, following your own path, listening to your heart. This life has far more to offer than stifling domesticity, sacrificing our femininity and emotional labour to meet other's demands and needs. Onward into this one life, no shame, no regrets! Happy birthday loveen xx
Plath means so much to me! Her work is at one with my soul, and if you read my work, her influence is ever present. She was the first poet I read who wasn’t afraid to illustrate the beauty in the macabre.
What a beautiful, insightful essay. Yes, Plath's story is useful in helping understand women's experiences in previous generations. My grandmother, only a few years younger than Plath, grew up in a poor, German immigrant family, also very smart, but was in and out of the mental health system, and subsequently never completed college, married young, ect. It's also really been interesting reading into Plath's life and compare it to other ambitious women writers of the era, like Madeline L'Engle or Joyce Carol Oates.
Your work is fantastic, Happy Birthday! You're just getting started!!
Hi, FS! Thanks so much for your comment, and I definitely agree that Plath's story is very useful as both a cautionary tale but also of women's creative brilliance! I'm always very interested to see how the Oates and Atwoods of the world engage with Plath. So many of these esteemed white women writers were just across from her and made such successful careers. I think in no small part Plath's posthumous presence is because so many peers of hers gained power in the media. What could have been for SP, we will never know.
Really grateful you took the time to read. In the two weeks since my big birthday, I've felt confident and buzzing! Here's to the next chapter :)
Just a brilliant insightful read
Thank you so much Mary!
If this was a book, I'd be so excited to read it! Happy Birthday Maeve. Thanks for sharing this beautiful piece with us 💕
Thank you Claire! I would recommend 'Wintering' by Kate Moses, I think you'd like it! :)
Ooh thanks for the tip. I'll check it out :)
HB Maeve. ❣️
"women whose voices were extinguished by men, patriarchy and barriers of race, class and the domination of literature by the western canon." this was such a passionate and powerful piece and i'm excited to see what this next decade brings into your life 🫶🏽
"Plath taught me a lot: the value of work, to be always aware of the smog of hell of domesticity, and the capacity of heterosexual relationships to ruin women." Many girls and women have fallen in love with her words, her iconography and heeded her warnings. A pity it was too late for her. You and your peers have kept her passion and talents burning through the decades since her death. I felt so much pride reading this, I know how much work and sleepless nights went into this thesis, how much it gave back to you but also what it took from you. An achievement to be proud of, following your own path, listening to your heart. This life has far more to offer than stifling domesticity, sacrificing our femininity and emotional labour to meet other's demands and needs. Onward into this one life, no shame, no regrets! Happy birthday loveen xx
Brilliant, Maeve, just brilliant! There is real heart in this.
And belated Happy Birthday!
Plath means so much to me! Her work is at one with my soul, and if you read my work, her influence is ever present. She was the first poet I read who wasn’t afraid to illustrate the beauty in the macabre.
What a beautiful, insightful essay. Yes, Plath's story is useful in helping understand women's experiences in previous generations. My grandmother, only a few years younger than Plath, grew up in a poor, German immigrant family, also very smart, but was in and out of the mental health system, and subsequently never completed college, married young, ect. It's also really been interesting reading into Plath's life and compare it to other ambitious women writers of the era, like Madeline L'Engle or Joyce Carol Oates.
Your work is fantastic, Happy Birthday! You're just getting started!!
Hi, FS! Thanks so much for your comment, and I definitely agree that Plath's story is very useful as both a cautionary tale but also of women's creative brilliance! I'm always very interested to see how the Oates and Atwoods of the world engage with Plath. So many of these esteemed white women writers were just across from her and made such successful careers. I think in no small part Plath's posthumous presence is because so many peers of hers gained power in the media. What could have been for SP, we will never know.
Really grateful you took the time to read. In the two weeks since my big birthday, I've felt confident and buzzing! Here's to the next chapter :)